The origin of the Maison of Van Cleef & Arpels is a love story, culminating in the marriage between Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels. With this as our foundation and inspiration, our creations have a real spirit of beauty, romance and playfulness. Our customers can sense this and of course they know that Van Cleef & Arpels (VCA) creations are of the highest quality both from a design perspective but also from the perspectives of craftsmanship and materials used.

Yes, it’s true that I have spent many years living in various countries in Asia, and hopefully for many more years to come. This has taught me valuable lessons and so, while I am delighted to now be again back in Singapore, I also hope to bring a sincerity and passion for excellence to the many VCA customers in the region. There is also consistency in what I do and represent based on my Asian experience and being able to apply it to VCA here in Asia.

VCA is a house of High Jewellery. We have a number of iconic creations, the most famous of which is probably the Zip necklace, which is an incredible feat of craftsmanship but also of creativity. Our customers are always amazed when they see that such a piece of jewellery really works like a zip!

We have a team of specialists conceptualising and designing the collections as well as special orders, which our customers request from us on a regular basis. After the design is agreed and satisfies the strict expectations of our CEO and Chief Designer, it is prototyped to define the type and quantity of stones that may be required. This is in itself a very difficult, expensive and specialised process.

The stones department, which is a large team of expert gemologist and diamond experts, then search around the world for the finest stones possible, to fit the design. When all of these criteria are met, the jewellery craftsmen start making the jewellery purely by hand, and setting each of the stones. A completely separate team focusses only on the polishing of the finished pieces. To become a good craftsman or a good polisher takes more than 15 years. Many of our complicated necklaces may have more than thousands of hours of painstaking work lovingly given to them.

VCA’s history has shown time and time again that we are able to thrive even during challenging periods. We have this experience in the First World War, the great depression and also the Second World War. After each of the crisis, the house became stronger. I think this is due to the quality of our creations and the enduring love affair our customers have with our passion and commitment to making the finest jewellery. While it is important that we are aware and conscious of the dynamics around the world, the fundamentals for VCA remain strong. The inspiration for our jewellery comes from evergreen and classic elements such as nature, flora and fauna, and even from the fantasy world with motifs such as fairies. If anything, we are refocusing and re-emphasising on VCA’s heritage and strengths rather than coming up with trendy and fashionable pieces that will only hold attention on a short-term basis.

Rather than looking to make our range less expensive with alternative materials, we are on the contrary, looking for finer and rare quality stones for our collections. There will be no compromise in quality or the content. We had feedback from our customers that in spite of the difficult economic climate, they always find assurance and value in our products even if they have to pay more.

There is confidence in VCA as a brand due to our heritage and quality – and that is irreplaceable.

There are so many opportunities for VCA in South East Asia. But most importantly, we will ensure that we offer excellent service and attention to our customers’ needs at our boutiques around the region. Southeast Asia is one of the most dynamic area in Asia Pacific, and perhaps somewhat under-developed in the luxury sector. VCA is committed to exploring opportunities in this region.

There are some very exciting ones, but they are top secret (wink).

We have some collections being created that are, in my opinion, breathtaking in their beauty and elegance.

I would like to help people make good choices as I meet people all the time who have been tricked by poor quality gems or average workmanship.